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Salta, Argentina contains the highest altitude vineyards in the world and some of the most unique wines. At these heights, UV radiation changes the grapes so in this tiny, remote area, the wines contain flavors and character you won't find from anywhere else!

Here are the show notes:

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Overview:

• Salta is at 24\u02da-26\u02daS latitude in the northwest of the country, 1500 km/930 miles northwest of Buenos Aires
• Extreme altitude, extreme sunlight makes powerful, structured wines with a savory minerality
• The area has been most famed for Torront\xe9s, which is widely planted across wine regions, beautiful aromatics
• History: Jesuit missionaries first planted grape seeds from Peru in the 1550\u2019s, failed with an earlier attempt near Buenos Aires \u2013 first vineyards in Argentina. Today many vineyards over 100 years old, mostly in Calchaqu\xed Valleys in the Andes Mountains

Location

• Salta's home of the wine trade is Cafayate
• The region crosses a bunch of valleys called the Calchaqu\xed Valleys (they span other provinces -- \xa0Jujuy, Tucum\xe1n, Catamarca)
• Salta is tiny compared to other Argentina wine regions: The region makes 1% of Argentina\u2019s wines from its 5,200 acres (2,000 ha.) of vineyards
• Climate: Harsh daytime heat warm days, cool nights with 45\u02da F/7.2\u02daC temperature swings during the long growing season in the Calchaqu\xed Valleys
  • More than 300 days of sunlight a year, wind and ultraviolet radiation \u2013 causes mutation inducing properties that magnify color and flavor

Sub areas of Salta

• Cafayate:4 hours south of Salta with\xa0alluvial, porous, deep, sandy soils and clay base is similar to the profile of Mendoza.\xa0
• Molinos department: More than 100 miles from both Salta and Cafayate 8,000ft/ 2440 M to over 10K feet/3000M

Wine:

• Both whites and reds are fruity with pure flavors, and alcohol is high with excellent acidity and balance
• REDS: Malbec, Tannat, Merlot, Syrah, Cab, Cabernet Franc \u2013 all marked by extreme sun \u2013 color, flavor
  • Tannat is one to watch -- hard to sell internationally but it is a local specialty
  • Colom\xe9\xa0produces a 100% Tannat under its\xa0Lote Especial label from its\xa0Finca La Brava vineyards, 1,700m above sea level in Colom\xe9, Salta.
• WHITES: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc,Torront\xe9s
  • Torront\xe9s has powerful acidity, floral aromatics \u2013 a big, strong white

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Wineries Mentioned:

Bodega El Esteco:Altimvs and Cha\xf1ar Punco are top wines from the Bodega

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San Pedro de Yacochuya: Founded in 1988 by Arnaldo Etchart and Michel Rolland. Made an international reputation for the area

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Porvenir de Cafayate:Oenologist Mariano Quiroga, with the American consultant Paul Hobbs (we had the Amauta Malbec while we were recording the show!)

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Jos\xe9 Luis Mounier, Finca Las Nubes:\xa0a high-altitude terroir expert, Torront\xe9s, Cabernet Sauvignon

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Colom\xe9\xa0and\xa0Tacuil\xa0wineries in Los Molinos: Both growing vines at 2,500 meters/8,200 above sea level. Colom\xe9\u2019s Altura Maxima is at 10,000 feet/3,111 meters

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